Shock absorber



J. S. LANG SHOCK ABSORBER Aug. 11,-1931.

Filed Dec. 19. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet l M? ATTURQE;

J. S. LANG SHOCK ABSORBER ug 11, QBL

- Filed Dec. 19. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 aA/7. AT Tumi-:145

Patented Aug. 11, 1931 U-NTD STATES PATENT FFICE l JAMES S..LANG, OF BOSTON, `IASSACHUSETTS; OLD COIJONY TRUST COMPANY, EX-

. .ECUTOR F SAID JAMES S. LANG, DECEASED SHOCK .ABSORBER Application led December 19, 1927. Serial No. 240,975.

The present invention belongs to that class of shock absorbers which are especially adapted for motor vehicles, and in which the force-requiredto pass a fluid through a constricted opening is utilized to prevent excessivevibrationor rebound. Examples of this class of `shock absorbers are shown in the various United States patents previously granted'me and-including' Patent No. 1,448,- ll'off'lvlarch 13, 1926 and Patent No. 1,561,- 0G9of November 10, 1925.

The object of the invention is to improve the shock absorberinvarious details, all of whichfcan best beseen'and understood by ref- ?i'erence lto the drawings and` detailed descript-ion later tobe made.

lnfthe drawings suchV portion of a shock absorber-'is shown as is'necessary to a proper understanding of the invention and in which- Figure v1 isa median vertical crosssection ofthe shock absorber.

Fig. 2 *is a gcross lsection on the line 2-2 of Figfl.

*Fig Bis a vertical cross section of a detail ofv construction shown 1in Fig. 1, a. part thereofbeing shown in a changed position for illustrative purposes, and Y Fig. 4 shows partly inelevation and partly in cross section a further vdetail of con struction vto 'which reference will later be made.

"Referring to the 'drawings l represents a casinghaving a removable cover 2. 'Projecting laterally from'the casingare lugs or ears 3 by'whicli it may be secured-tothe body or framework of a. veliicle.v 0n the inside the casing is provided with spaced bearings 4: for a rock shaft later j tofbe referred to. The interior of the casing is'also provided .with various inside parts orpartitions y5, 6, 7 and 8, respectively which provide within `the casing a compression chamber 9:,and outside this chamber a secondary chamber 10 with an opening between the two chambers having a valvular control to whiclrreferencewill later be made. The-re is also `provided insideithe casing a compression lchamber 11 in communicationy with the secondary Y chamber.

lets 14. and 15, respectively. Of thesethe 4.

outlet 111 is closed by a removable plug 16 and the outlet 15 by a removable plug 17 with attached cap 18. The openings 14 and 15 at the bottom of the casing provide outlets for the oil and also openings through'whieh the parts above may be machined and through which openings also certain of the working parts of the shock absorber are introducedinto the casing.

The compression chamber 9 is within a cylinder formed by the co-operation of the wall or partition 6 with the adjacent exterior wall of the casing', while the compression chamber 11 is within a cylinderformed by the co-operation of the partition 5 with the adjacent exterior wall of the casing. Contained to reciprocate within and between these re spective chambers with passage through the secondary chamber is a piston 19. This piston is reciprocated by a rocker arm 20. This rocxer arm isprovided with a hub 21 which lies interposed between'the bearings 4 of the casing and is secured by means of a set screw 22 to a rock shaft 23 which turns within said bearings. The rock shaft 23 at one end is socketed to turn within one of the bearings 4 and part of the casing adjacent to it. The other end of the rock shaft extends through an openingv 24 in the opposite bearing l and adjacent side of the casing and bears upon its end outside the casing a head 25 to which is secured a rocker arm 26. This arm has connections with the axle 27 of the vehicle through a connecting rod28 and clamp 29. (See Fig. 4.)

It is necessary that the'joint between the rock shaft 28 and the casing where'the shaft extends outside the casing throughthe opening 24 therein shall be a closed joint to'prevent the escapeof oil and especially under the present conditions where the shock absorber is kept substantially filled with oil and accordingly at a level above this joint. To this end the casing is machined to provide a packing gland 30 filled with suitable packing 3l. The inner end of the gland 30 is so formed that the pacling material contained therein will extend directly across the joint 24 between the rock shaft 23 and 'the adjacent bearing 4 or casing. For this purpose both the bearing 4 or casing and the adjacent portion of the rocker arm 23 are machined to provide an edge 32 which extends abruptly across the joint 24. This edge defines the inner end of the gland Within which the packing is contained and accordingly the packing contained within the gland pressed into contact With the edge 32 Will abruptly cross the joint between the rocker arm and its adjacent bearin(T at the point ivhere the arm extends through the casing. ln order that the packing may be crowded into the inner end of the gland the bearing 4 or casing and rock shaft are preferably provided With beveled portions 33 and 34, respectively, adjacent the inner end of th-e gland and co-operating to forni a more or less conical cavity. The packing is held in place by the head of the rock shaft. This head is held pressed hard against the packing, any suitable washer being interposed if necessary, by the et sereiv which is preferably provided vvith a bev-- eled end 35 which draws into a correva-ondingly formed cavity in the rock shaft ,viien the screw is set for fastening the hub 2l of the rocker arm 2O to the rock shaft.

The rocker arm 2O functions to move the piston 19 up and doivn Within the casing of the shock absorber during the functioning thereof. The piston 19 is provided with piston heads at its opposite ends 36 and 3i", respectively. Between these heads of the piston it is provided with an intermediate portion formed to provide a housing' Within which the outer end of the rocker arm 2O is contained for reciprocating the piston. The

" housing presents side'piece;` orcheeks and upper and lower spaced bearings 39 and 4U, respectively. The inner end of the rock shaft is contained within the housing thus provided being laterally retained by the side cheeks and having engagement with the respective bearings. The inner' end of the rockernarinr2r0comprises a. Vcentral flattened sec- Vtion 4l Yfrom the opposite sides of which cX- casion require the wheels may be easily replaced.

-With the casing` secured to the vehicle body and the rocker arm which reciprocates the piston connecting with the axle, the piston will accordingly be moved up and down Within the casing as ,irregularities occur in the roadway over vfhich the vehicle is passing. The shocks which a shock absorber most commonly overcome are those consequent upon impact which tends to suddenly raise the axle and compress the vehicle springs. In such case the violence of the impact might so compress the vehicle springs as would permit the vehicle body contacting with the axle causing shock, and the mechanism to which attention will now be directed is for the purpose of preventing any such shock. ln the general operation of the shock absorber the' arrangement is such that as the axle is moved toward the vehicle body with consequent compression of the springs the piston will be moved upward within the casing with the piston head 3l' moving upwardly Within the compression chamber 9. During this operation it is desired that the piston bc unimpeded in so far as the action attends only a normal and proper compression of the vehicle springs and consequently the head 3T of the piston is provided with an outwardlyopening valve 45 which is preferably of a type like that shown in my pending application for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 223,401. To prevent, however, any abnormal compression of the vehicle springs duringl this operation and especially any such compressionaswould cause the axle to come in contact with the vehicle body, the parts are so ar ranged (meaning especially the head of the piston v-:ith relation to the compression chamber ll) that the piston head 36 will enter the compression chamber ll at a time When the springs become abnormally compressed and before the axle has opportunity to strike the vehicle body. It Will be observed that the compression chamber ll is provided `with a port 46 proceeding from the top end of said chamber and extending downward preferably at an angle through the partition 5 with outlet into the secondary chamber' preferably at a point adjacent the bottom edge of the partition. irrccordingly as the piston head 3G enters the compression chamber l1 the oil therein Will become forcibly expelled through the port 4G, the oil remaining therein then acting as a buffer or dash pot for retarding upward movement of the piston and thereby preventing further compression of the springs and inany event such compression as Will prevent the axle striking the vehicle body.

lt is necessary that the compression chamber 11 be kept filled or substantially filled With oil and the arrangement shown is such that this end will be attained even though the main levelfot oil in the secondary chamber of the casing is below the top of the casing. In other words, let it be assumed that the entire 'casing is lilled with oil to a point wherethe level ot-oil will be below the top of the compression chamber or cover but above theoutlet of the port 46 into the secondary chamber. ln such case as the piston is raisedthe air in the compression chamber ll will be forced out of this chamber into the secondary chamber by way of the port 46. On the drop ot the piston, however, the head 36 thereof will act in the manner ot a suction pump drawing oil out or" the secondary chamber to lill the compression chamber ll, which operation continues until the pistonhead 36 has dropped below the lower edge of the partition 5. Thereupon the head of oil .thus drawn into the compression chamber ll illing it will remain therein as long as the top level of oil in the secondary chamber lies above the outlet to the port 46. In order to prevent disturbing influence on the oil in the secondary chamber as the piston is drawn out of the compression chamber ll and to assist also in filling the space above the piston with oil as the piston is withdrawn a port 4T is preterably extended through the piston head 36 and this port is controlled by an inwardly opening valve 48 held in place by a keeper 4'9, the arrangement being such that the valve will close as the piston is moved upward into the compression chamber l1 and open as it moves downward with relation thereto.

ln ease the upward movement of the piston is so quick and forcible that sudden compression ot oil within the chamber ll might cause breakage of the working parts, provision is made whereby the oil when too highly lcompressed may be relieved from` this chamber. To this end the piston head 36 ispro vided with a port 50 extending from the working side ot' the head and continued by way ot a. passage 5l into a chamber 52 inside the head. The end of this chamber is closed by a threaded plug 53. The chamber 52 has communication wit the secondary chamber by way ot' a port 54. Communication between the passage 5l and the chamber 52 inside the head of the piston is controlled by an outwardly-closing valve 55 normally held in closed position by a spring 56 bearing at one end against the valve and its opposite end against the threaded plug 53. The tension ot the spring 5G which normally holds the valve 55 in a closed position is such that when the compresson of oil within the chamber ll by the piston becomes excessive then the oil therein will be relieved by way ot the port 50, passage 5l, thence by the open valve into the chamber 52 ot the piston and outlet into the secondary chamber by way of the port 54.

While provision is thus made to overcome the shocl; that might be occasioned by the axle and vehiclefbody coming .together following a violent compression of the springs, yet such shoclrzis not a common occurrenceas the vehicle wheels do not commonly strike any such obstruction .as would causev the axle the backlash or quick rebound'of the vehicle body following compression of the springs and occasioned by the springs as they are permitted to become untensioned toresume their normal shape.

rhe means employed to prevent this quick uplift or backlash or" the vehicle body is substantially the same in principle and manner of operation as that recited in mysaid patents. The compression chamber l1 is provided with an outlet into the secondary chainber controlled by a weighted valve 58. This is an inertia valve and is maintained in a normal open position of substantial balance by a spring 59 which supports the valve .and is itself supported by restingupon an adjustable nut 60 arranged within a plug fixture 6l in the lower` end of the casingand through which extends the passage 14 closed by the plug 16 previously referred to. lith the parts thus arranged, assuming the springs to be compressed, the ensuing tendency ot the body of the vehicle to violently uplift or backlash is generally attended at the instant by a drop of the axle, whereupon the piston 39 will be reversed in its movement and the head 37 thereof moved downward into the compression chamber 9 compressing the oil therein, the valve 45 carried by this head of the piston then becoming closed. Substantially simultaneously with this action at about theprecise instant, the vehicle body will'tend to rise carryingwith it the casing of the shock absorber. Thereupon the casing will move upward with :relation to the valve 58 which maintains its position by reason of its inertia, and thereupon the valve will become closed shutting oii' communication between the compression chamber 9 and the secondary chamber. Consequently further downward movement of the piston head 37 into the compression chamber 9 will be stopped and consequently further uplift or backlash or" the vehiclebody prevented until the inertia valve again opens and the parts resume their substantial normal positions. All this is described in'rny said patents to which attention is directed for a more detailed description.

The opening of the inertia valve in the connection just described is an opening effected by the spring 59 which becomes tensioned as the casing, on which the spring is mounted, moves upwardly, the valve being openedas soon as the tension of the kspring overcomes the inertia ot' the weighted valve. In order roo ics

that this opening of the valve may be slightly more protracted than the time taken by the spring to overcome the inertia of the valve, the lower end ot the valve has litted to it a relatively deep flange 63 preferably annular in form. This flange is arranged in line with a socket 614iformed in the upper side of the plug lixture 61 above which the valve is arranged. The socket like the flange is made relatively deep and the chamber ot' the socket is only slightly larger than the flange so tnat when the flange is contained within the socket oil will not too freely enter the socket to lill the void lett by the lifting flange. In other words, the arrangement oi' this ilange and socket is such that in the operation ot the parts when the casing moves upward for closing the inertia valve, the valve then remaining substantially still on account o'l its inertia, the top end of the plug fixture 61 will be made to approach the lower end of the valve whereupon the flange 63 will enter the socket 64 then iilled with oil. Subsequently as the operation ot the spring tends to overcome the inertia of the valve "for restoring it to its normal open position with relation to the outlet 'from the compression chamber 11 this opening of the valve will be slightly retarded by the lag occasioned by the relatively slow withdrawal of the `Iiange G3 from the oil-filled socket within which it is contained.

The retardation of the valve is increased the deeper the tlange penetrates into the socket. lt will be observed that the flange is made slightly beveled, the top end of the flange or where it oins `the body ot the valve being slightly wider than its bottom end. The width ot the ilange is less than the width of the socket, but when the flange is iully contained within the socket 'the top or wide end ot the flange substantially fills the top end olf tl e socket as shown in Fig. 3, being only a little less wide than the width of the socket. ln consequence when the flange is fully contained within the socket, as the flange lifts, entry of oil into the socket to lill the void occasioned by the lifted valve will be impeded by the upper end ot the flange which substantially lills the mouth ot the socket. Inasmuch as the lifting ot the flange will depend upon the re-entry of oil into the socket, consequently the lifting o' the valve will be impeded depending as the broad or narrow portion ot the flange is contained within the socket, there being very little impedance when the lower end ot the flange is contained within the socket which permits a free re-entry of oil, but the impedance gradually increases as approach is made to where the broad top end oi the flange is contained within the socket or when the llange is substantially fully contained therein.

In order to avoid such compression of oil by the piston within the compression chamnsieiai ber 9 as might endanger the interior working parts ot' the shock absorber, provision is made whereby this chamber will be vented in case the pressure becomes excessive. To this end a port 6G is formed extending through the partition 8 at the lower end of the compression chamber 9. This port is controlled by an inwardly-closing valve 67 which closes against the under side of the partition 7 around the port extending through the partition. This valve is provided with a valve stem which extends downward and works through the plug 17, previously referred to, acting as a guide tor the stem. The stem is otherwise guided by a collar 69 arranged upon it and sliding upon the casing. The valve is held in a normal closed position by a powerful spring 70 interposed between the plug 17, forming a iixture, and the collar 69 on the stem. The tension oit this spring is such that the valve will not be opened by pressure developed in the compression chamber 9 except in case this pressure becomes excessive when the valve will open permitting escape oil the contained fluid. lVith the means thus employed permitting venting of the compression chamber under the conditions referred to diiliculty has been encountered in that the pressure in the compression chamber may operate to slightly displace the valve from its seat with permitted escape oi fluid in which case an objectionable chattering ot the valve ensues. This chattering, however, is obviated by an extension 71 on the valve which extends upwardly to fit within the port 66 above the valve to substantially close said port when the valve is occupying its closed position. The valve extension (56 has such extension into the port when the valve is closed that it will be moved out of the port permitting a 'ull escape of 'fluid only when the valve has been moved an appreciable distance away from itsvvalve seat. Tn other words, the extension will permit escape of fluid from thel compression chamber only when the valve has been moved so far away from its valve seat that when the fluid pressure is allowed to escape from the compression chamber no chattering of the valve can take place.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States:-

1. In a fluid check shock obsorber having a fluid-containing casing and a piston reciprocable within the easin means tor forming a compression chamber within the casing above the piston and within which oil contained within the casing may be compressed upon the lifting ot the piston, said compression chamber being provided with a port extending from the upper end ot said chamber downward and terminating at a point below the normal level ot oil contained within the casing outside the compression chamber.

2. In a fluid check shock absorber having a fluid-containing casing and a piston reciprocable Within the casing, means for forming a compression chamber within the casing above the piston and within which oil contained within the casing may be conipressed upon the lifting of the piston, said means forming the compression chamber comprising in part a partition plate arranged in the top of the casing and having a downward extension into the casing, said partition being provided with a port eX- tending through it from the top end of the compression chamber and terminating at a point below the normal level of the oil contained within the casing outside the compression chamber.

3. In a fluid check shock absorber for controlling the movement of a vehicle having a body and axle, a fluid-containing casing attachable to the body of the vehicle, a piston reciprocable within the casing, means connecting the piston with the aXle of the vehicle whereby the piston will be positively reciprocated upward and downward within the casing, means for forming a compression chamber within the casing above the piston and within which oil contained in said casing may be compressed upon the lifting of the piston, said compression chamber being provided with a port extending from the upper end of said chamber downward and terminating at a point below the normal level of oil contained within the casing outside the compression chamber.

4. In a. fluid check shock absorber, the combination comprising a duid-containing casing, a piston reciprocable within the casing, a housing carried by the piston and comprising spaced side cheeks and spaced upper and lower bearings, means forreciprocating the piston comprising in part a. rocker arm with end extending` into said housing, said end of the rocker arm comprising a central hubbearing` portion with hubs extending laterally from opposite sides thereof, and wheels mounted upon said hubs laterally retained by the cheeks of the housing and having rolling engagement with the upper and lower bearings thereof.

5. A Huid check shock absorber for c0ntrolling the movement of relatively movable parts comprising an element attachable to one of said parts .and having a pressure chamber, said element being provided also with means permitting of the circulation of a contained fluid into and out of said chamber and consisting in part of a controllable outlet, a piston attachable to the other of said parts and reciprocable in said pressure chamber, an inertia valve for controlling said out let, tension means for holding said valve in a normal open position, a flange depending from said valve, and a. xtu1-earranged'below the valve having'within itasocket for containing' oilv into Vwhich socket the flange is adaptedy toV extend upon closing said' valve', the chamber of: said socket' being only slightly larger than said flangewhereby oil will not freely enter the socket on thelifting of the iiange when the iiange is appreciably con-V tained within the socket.

6'. A fluid checkshock absorber for controlling-the movement of relatively movable parts comprising an element attachable to one of said parts and having a pressure chamber, said; element being -provided also with means permitting of the circulation of' a containedy fluid into andoutlof said cha1n-y ber and consistinginy part ofv a controllable outlet, a piston'attachableto the other of said parts and reciprocable in said pressure chamber, aniinertia valve'for cont-rolling said outlet, tension means for holding said valve in a normal open position, a flange depending from said valve, said flange having' a gradu-Y ally'downward contract-ion, and aiixturearranged below ythe valve having within it a socket for containing" oil int-oy which socket said flange is adapted to extend on the closing' of saidvalve, the chamber of said socket being only 'slightly larger than saidliange and the top end ofthe flange substantially'lling the open' end of the socket when the il'ange'is substantiallyV fully' contained within thea socket.

7. In a fluid check shock absorbena fluidiA containing casing having within it a compression chamber with a port leading therefrom to form a vent and a valve seat adjacent the outlet to said port, a piston for compressing the fluid within said chamber, an outwardlyopening valve controlling said port, means for yieldingly holding the valve in a normal closed position against said seat and an eX- tension to said valve fitting inside said port substantially closing said port when the valve is closed and permitting of a full escape of fluid through the port only when the valve has been moved by the pressure an appreciable distance away from the valve seat.

8. In a luid check shock absorber'having a fluid-containing casing and a piston reciprocable within the casing, means forming a compression chamber within the casing above the piston within which oil conained within the casing may be compressed upon the lifting of the piston, means whereby oil may escape from the compression chamber when compressed therein by the piston, and means whereby on the withdrawal of 'the piston oil may enter the compression chamber to lill said chamber and maintain therein a level above the main level of oil contained within said casing.

9. In a fluid check shock absorber having a fluid-containing casing, a piston reciprocable within the casing-compression chambers formed within the casing .above and below the piston and within which chambers oil will be compressed upon the lifting and lowering of the piston, means controlling the escape and return of oil from and to the coinpression chainber below the piston, and means controlling the escape and return of oil from and to the compression chamber nabove thepiston including a passage leading from a point below the main level of oil contained within said casing to a point adjacent the top of said compression chamber above the piston.

10. In a fluid check shock absorber, a iluidcintaining casing, a shaft journaled to turn on said casing with extension through an opening in the side thereof leaving a joint between the casing and shaft, said casing and shaft being formed to provide an edge eX- tending across said oint and a packing gland leading to said edge, a packing contained in said gland, and means for applying pressure to the packing so contained.

1l. In a Huid check shock absorber, a fluidcontaining casing, a shaft journaled to turn on said casing with extension through an opening in the side thereof leaving a joint between said casing and shaft, said casing and shaft being formed to provide an edge eX- tending across said joint and a packing gland leading to said edge with the end of the gland contracted onto said edge, a packing in said gland, and lneans for compressing the packing so contained.

JAMES S. LANG. 

